SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0522 * SpaceNews 22-May-95 * BID: $SPC0522 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY MAY 22, 1995 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution. * STUDENT WXSAT PROJECT * ========================= Four students of the Pavillon d'Ordinique of Lionel-Groulx college, in Ste-Therese, Quebec, Canada, were among the participants at an exhibition featuring end-of-session projects in Computer Systems Technology (TSO), on May 12th. Martin Rainville, Nathalie Caron, Jason Dumais and Paul-Andre Laroche VE2PLP designed and constructed a weather satellite VHF APT receiving station. They designed the control systems and software for the az-el rotors and the receiving and decoding equipment necessary for the project. Paul-Andre is a licensed amateur, and Jason Dumais holds an amateur certificate but has not yet applied for a callsign. The Pavillon d'Ordinique has its own amateur radio station, VE2IOQ, which is well equipped for satellite work, with a Yaesu FT-736R transceiver, and a set of 2m/70cm OSCAR antennas turned with a Yaesu G5400 az-el rotor. The club at the college is sponsored by the Club Radio Amateur Laval Laurentides, which promotes satellite and space communications. [Info via Mike, VE2TRV] * FO-20 NEWS * ============== James Tudehope, KL7QR reports having some success working FO-20 on Mode A >From Valdez, Alaska to Tokyo, Japan this past week. He worked JN1GKZ, JK1DVX, and JK1EXF all on FO-20 at 01:20 GMT 5/14/95. Signals were excellent, peaking at 5x5. James likes to operate on a downlink frequency of 435.850 MHz. On several passes, he noticed that he is the only one on the transponder. He only started working FO-20 the week before last, and it has become his favorite LEO satellite because the signals are so clear from this bird. [Info via James Tudehope, KL7QR] * MIR NEWS * ============ G. Miles Mann, WF1F, reports that the current crew on Mir is getting the hang of the 2 meter transceiver and the packet radio Personal Mail System. Norman has been answering packet messages as fast as time allows. Many Amateur Radio stations have learned the correct procedure for connecting to the Mir PMS. But unfortunately, there are many others who do not understand procedure for connection to Mir. The PMS on Mir can only connect to one (1) station at a time, and it only takes one station operating improperly to ruin a whole pass for everyone in North America. If you happen to find one of these stations please pass on the correct information or direct them to back issues of SpaceNews or QST. The Keyboard port (R0MIR) is not used often. Unless there is a crew member actively typing on this port, you should NOT connect to the Keyboard port. Don't be fooled by the CQ message coming from the R0MIR port R0MIR>CQ : Anyting you send to the R0MIR port is not saved and just causes interference to people using the Mail port (R0MIR-1). Stations attempting to connect to Mir should make sure the TNC parameter MCON is turned ON. Look for the packet message: R0MIR-1>CQ : before you call Mir! If you do not know how to read a packet string, then maybe should not try to call Mir until you study a little more. If you see a string with an Index number: R0MIR-1>xx1xxx : Immediately abort any attempt to connect the Mir PMS, and wait until you see the packet. QSL Information: Norman said he is logging all voice contacts, and will bring the log back to earth next month. Most packet contacts are not logged, because there are three people using this PMS. Packet messages are read and deleted, but are not logged. It may not be possible to get a QSL card for a packet contact with Norman. For those who made contact with Norman, his QSL address is: Norman E. Thagard Mail Code CB Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058 [Info via WF1F] * MIR TRAFFIC * =============== Dave, N1PPP, has been in contact with Norm and the cosmonauts on Mir recently using Mir's packet radio personal message system. During a recent exchange, Dave asked how Norm enjoyed living in space as opposed to simply visiting as he did on his previous space missions. Norm's response was: Stat : PR Posted : 95/05/15 22:58 To : N1PPP From : R0MIR @ BBS : BID : Subject: hello Well, I am truly living in space this time as opposed to just visiting on my previous four flights. Not only that, I got to ride on a Russian rocket, something no other American has done. Volodya, Gennady, and I, I believe, will land in a different country and on a different continent from the one we launched. I even had to turn in my unused return airline ticket from Moscow to Houston. Delta probably was disappointed about that. Best wishes from Norm and the Mir 18 Crew Norm had the following to say on the subject of aurorae: Stat : PR Posted : 95/05/14 19:21 To : N1PPP From : R0MIR @ BBS : BID : Subject: Aurora The Aurorae (Borealis and Australis) are plasmas which stream toward the Poles. They can be seen and are sometimes studied from space. During my second flight in 1985, we had an experiment involving photography of the Aurorae. To reflect solar activity, that can be indicators of altered ionospheric conditions which do affect radio transmission. Norm and the MIR 18 crew Dave, N6JLH has also been keeping in touch with the Mir 18 crew via Amateur Packet Radio. In a recent exchange, Norm Thagard reported on the success of a recent spacewalk outside the Mir complex: Stat : PR Posted : 95/05/12 20:19 To : N6JLH From : R0MIR @ BBS : BID : Subject: News First of four planned EVA's took place today. Seemed successful although some question about the way the solar battery retracted. Only first three sections of the battery were planned to be folded today. Remaining sections should the battery will be re-installed on the KVANT module. I took some good video. Maybe some of it will be shown on the news. Thanks, Norm and the MIR 18 crew [Info via N1PPP and N6JLH] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all who sent messages in appreciation of SpaceNews, especially: EA2AFF VK2DFR VK2EE WI2T G3AAJ FG5GI AA6AE ZS6US GI7TAY VE7ZOL * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the following paths: FAX : 1-908-747-7107 PACKET : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org -or- magliaco@pilot.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19 MAIL : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD Department of Engineering and Technology Advanced Technology Center Brookdale Community College Lincroft, New Jersey 07738 U.S.A. <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> /EX